This post has been sponsored by Mom’s Best Friend to bring you information about the one area of parenting every mom struggles with – finding a caregiver for our children! All opinions are 100% our own!
As moms, so many responsibilities fall to us. There’s the daily activities with the kids, household chores, what everyone is going to eat seven days a week, the list goes on.
Finding someone to care for your children when needed can be an extremely daunting task as a mom. If you aren’t lucky enough to live near family, needing a sitter or nanny usually means inviting a stranger into your home. If you’re anything like me, this equals major anxiety. Where do you look for someone? What questions should you ask? How can you ever truly trust someone? Are they going to play with your kids, or stare at their phone the entire time? Will they care for your child like you would? These are all questions that run through my head when I’m on the hunt for a new caregiver.
I am fortunate to have an extremely flexible work schedule, however I do have a need for a nanny a few days a week to stay on top of my work load. I have been through my fair share of prospects, but last year found the one I knew I never wanted to leave.
When I heard the words, “I need to chat with you about my schedule” I knew what came next. I was heartbroken, because she was someone both me and my girls had grown to love. And even better I truly trusted her with my children. Both are pretty rare finds, so having to start all over made me want to vomit.
I started my search with family and friends first with no success. I branched out a little more posting on my neighborhood social media page, and a few other social media pages I was comfortable using. After several no shows, a few I didn’t get a good vibes from, and one who’s hourly rate was outrageous, I threw in the towel. I gave in to the idea of having to work at night after my children finally went to bed. Enter Mom’s Best Friend.
Mom’s Best Friend‘s mission is to provide families with passionate, expert caregivers and the ultimate customer service experience so that they are the “household name” in the Household Staffing.
I’ve never used an agency for anything, even so much as a babysitter, so I had a little research to do. Since 1994, Mom’s Best Friend has been placing trusted caregivers with selective clientele saving them time and providing peace of mind. Mom’s Best Friend has a thorough, 10 step screening process.
For me, this is huge! I also love that all the references are recent and say they’d rehire them! And most importantly, all criminal background checks are clear and all Nannies and Sitters are First Aid and CPR certified. These are all things I look at when choosing someone to care for my children, so it’s so helpful to have someone do the leg work for me.
What’s even more exciting is that I know exactly what I’m getting when I make a decision to hire. Moms Best Friend has several different nanny services based on time commitment and type of care families need.
For example, a nanny will plan entertaining games, arts and crafts, and other enlightening projects. A nanny manager will be able to transport children to education and cultural activities, pick up children from school, and even run errands!
Thanks to Mom’s Best Friend, I’m happy to report I have two very promising prospects lined up to interview. They have been a lifesaver as well as a time saver for me, and just in time for back to school! Whether you’re in dire need of a date night or looking to hire a full-time nanny, Mom’s Best Friend will become your new best friend!
If you’re interested in learning how Mom’s Best Friend can help you in your search for a sitter or nanny, visit their website for loads of information!
Then check them out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to see what moms have to say!
If you use Mom’s Best Friend for your full time (30 hours or more) nanny search beginning August 18th-September 30th, they will waive the application fee of $250 PLUS credit another $250 upon placement.
Don’t need a nanny right now? Tell a friend and if she mentions promo code “DMB” she’ll get the above mentioned discounts, and you’ll receive a free date night from our amazing babysitter service!
The hardest part is TRUST! We’ve had sitters not show, and one who even stole from us (WHILE babysitting, gave our iPad to her boyfriend and he’d already pawned it by the time we got home). So scary!
Finding the perfect nanny is the best feeling in the world! When you trust that your children are loved and cared for in your absence it helps ease the mom guilt from leaving them!!
It’s hard to find someone who is dependable and trustworthy! And you also want them to be able to have fun with you kids!
We would love to find a nanny that is responsible and qualified AND dependable!
Finding quality child care is SUCH a challenge, so I’m always thankful for any help I can get! 🙂
This is a great article! It is so hard to find people you trust with your kids, especially if you live far away from family like I do.
So hard to find good help for my kids – and I only need it periodically. I usually resort to asking friends for babysitter referrals but many times they don’t have a great list either. I like that they do some of the initial legwork for you of vetting the potential sitters
The hardest part about interviwing potential babysitters is making sure the references are credible. I once babysat for my mom’s long time friend who I came to find out hired a girl from my high school that had a lengthy record with police but because she was a minor these didn’t show on the background check, so she relied on references that might not have been too credible. Just making sure that person is well rounded in all aspects.
As a former nanny, I think the benefit of having someone there you can trust to love your kids whether you’re taking a shower and a nap, getting a manicure, or gone for the week, is priceless for your sanity. I plan on having someone to help me out so I can write from home without neglecting baby.
Faerl Marie
We are going to be looking for a nanny soon, and I’m concerned about trust, reliability, and someone who has the right chemistry with our family.